Safety device for clutches



Jan. 18, 1927.

B. D. BRODKEY SAFETY DEVICE FOR cLuToHEs Filed August 21., 192e PatentedJan. 18, 1927.

T 'ED S Bunn n; BRODKEY, or sioux crrY, IOWA.

VSAFETY DEVICE ron cLUrcHns;

Application filed August 21, 1926. Serial No. 130,735.

My invention relates to a control mechanism for the automobile and it ismy purpose to provide means whereby the ordinary clutch may be operatedromthe gear shift lever instead of the clutch pedal ordinarily employed.

More particularly, it is my object toprovide a control arrangementincluding' means for locking` the gear shitlever in any of its selectivepositions and further toV prevent the release of said locking meanswhile the clutch is engaged. y

A further object is tovsynchronizethe re lease of the clutch with therelease of the gear shitt lever locking means, both functions beingaccomplished by the same means.

`A still further object-is to provide an auxiliary key lock forco-operating with the common releasing means for the gear shift leverlock and the clutch in such a Way that both the gear shift lever andclutch may be absolutely locked against manipulation, when itis desiredto lock a vehicle embodying my inventionduring the absence oi' driver.Byv thus locking an automobile in reverse gear, `orinstance, andsimultaneouslyl locking the clutch against release the vehicle may be solocked that it can be neither driven nor towed in a forward direction. 1

With these and other objects in view, my invention consists in thearrangementand combination ot the various parts of my device, wherebythe objects contemplated are attained, hereinafter morev fully setforth, pointed out in my claims, and illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, ,.in'which:

Fig'. 1 is a perspective view ott' a portion oi' the engine andtransmission of an automobile embodying myl invention.

Fig, 2 is an enlarged view partly'in section and part-ly. in elevationof thegear shift lever locking means, l'rey lockl and actuatingmechanism. y

Fig. 3 shows a somewhat modified form ofthe actuating mechai'iism.

Fig. 4 is a detail' sectional view taken on line 4-4, Fig. 2. y

Figf is a detail sectional View taken on the line 5-5 of Fig, 2.

Fis.v 6 'is a detail sectionalview taken on line. GS-G'of Fig.' l.

Fig. 7 is" an'enlarged'detail sectional view iorm oit' a ism.

I have used the reference character 10 to indicate genenfally-v theengine .of an f automobile. In the rear of the engine is the liv wheelhousing 11 to which is securedV the transmission case 12, provided withthe ygea-r shift lever casing 13.` 1

The usual gear shift-'lever arm 14 is pr`ovided at its upper end withaball lpivoted in the socket formed by the ,upper end ot the casing 18and a nut-16 which is threaded intothecasing as shown. Y l

The ordinaryy clutch V releasel` yshaft `is shown at 17 in Fig, 1 andthe usual clutch arm 18 is shown securedthereto. The brake lever isshown1 at 19 4and ordinarily a similar lever is employed to actuate theclutch arm 187 being connected thereto by a link extending through theopening 20 in the engine bracket 21.

In the practice of my invention theclutch pedal is entirelyremovedf anda bracket is secured to the engine bracket '21. `The end of the bracket22is aligned with the opening` 2O and is provided with an opening' 23 toreceivethe end ot' a flexible steel conduit 2a. A Vset screw 25V securesthe [C011- duit in place. f

portion oi the actuating mechan- The conduit 21 isextended 13,0' theVcasing 13, is passed through the side wallthe'reof near the lowerextremity' of the casing'and thence lis extended upwardly toward thecenter of the 'ball 15 and is projected into the ball through Vthe upperelld oi the arm 14 as shown iirFig. 2.` Af iexibl'e steel-wire 2Gextends "through the conduit'2fi and at one end is secured to 'theclutch arm`18, being passed through the opening 2O for that purpose. n

The 'otlrer end of the wire 26 is secured to a kpin 27 slidably mounted'in a tubular cavity 28"in^`tl'1e lowerend of the gear shift lever'arm29. To theup'per end'oi the pin 27 issecured a second lexiblefwire 3()which extends through a central bore in the lever 29 to theupper end-*oithe' lever where it is secured in aboss 31 of ahandle member Thehandle^32 is slidablymounted'rin aslot 33 formed in an enlargement 84 ofthe lever 29 vand' to the upper end ot the portion 34= iiu'sh with theupper extremity of the slot i'ssecur'ed theusual-gear shift lever-knob35. (Fig. 4..) l

The bore 28 is enlarged as atr'36 for a por- -tio1ioil"its length andthe pin 27 -isprovided i Li with an integral collar 37 between which andthe shoulder at the upper extremity of the enlargement 36 is received aspring 38.

The spring 38 serves to maintain the pin 27 in its normal position atits lower extent of movement. This lower extent of movement isdetermined by the engagement of the locking bolts v39 with slots 40formed in the wall of the casing 13. The bolts 39 are pivoted at 41 tothe pin 27 and are extended through openings 42 in the ball 15 whichserve to guide them and maintain them in proper position.

then the pin 27 is in its normal position at its lower extent ofmovement the wire 26 will have been moved to a position allowing theclutch arm 18 to move to inoperative position relative to the clutchmechanism; that is, when the actuating mechanism including the handle32, the wires 26 and 3() and the pin 27 and spring 38 is in the positionshown in Fig. 2 the clutch will be engaged and the ordinary clutchrelease spring (not shown) will have moved the lever 18 rearwardly tothe position shown in Fig. 1.

By grasping the gear shift lever, the palm of the hand engaging the knob35 and the fingers extending downwardly and under the handle 32 andthence drawing the handle 32 upwardly toward the knob 35, the pin 27will simultaneously draw the locking bolts 39 inwardly within the ball15 and away from engagement with the notches 40 and also d raw the lever18 forwardly to compress the clutch spring and actuate the clutchrelease mechanism.

lVhen this has been done the gear shift lever may be moved from itsformer position to any of the other selective positions and handle 32then released. Upon releasing the handle 32 the bolts 39 will enteranother set of slots, locking the gear shift lever against movement andsimultaneously allowing the clutch to re-engage. It will be noted inFig. 2 that there are two vertically spaced sets of notches 40 and itwill be seen by reference to Fig. 5 that each of these vertically spacedsets of notches comprises two horizontally spaced pairs. Thus there is apair of notches to receive the bolts 39 in each position of the gearshift lever.

A key lock 45 is secured to the lever 29 and has a locking bolt 46extending just above the upper extremity of the pin 27 in its normalposition.

By actuating the key lock with the proper key the bolt 46 may be throwninwardly across the path of sliding movement of the pin 27 4and therebyprevent the pin being drawn upwardly. The actuating mechanism for theclutch and gear shift lever is thus locked against manipulation and maybe so locked in any position of engagement of the gears which isdesired. The most effective method of locking the car is to shift toreverse and thence lock the actuating mechanism. In order to tow the carit would be necessary to move the floor boards and press` the lever 18forwardly and in order to drive the car under its own power it would benecessary to drive it backwardly.

YWith some clutches the hand lever of the handle 32 may not givesu'liicient leverage to Conveniently actuate the clutch and consequentlyin such a case the actuating mechanism shown in Fig. 3 may besubstituted for that shown in Fig. 4. This modified forni of actuatingmechanism comprises la clutch lever 48 pivoted at 49 to the gear shiftlever 29 and provided with a bell crank arm i() in the end of which issecured the upper end of the wire 30. The wire 30 extends into the gearshift lever through a boss A cavity 52 in the knob 35L of the gear shiftlever receives the end of the clutch lever 48 so that while shiftinggears the two levers may be telescoped together to form in eliect asingle letter.

The advantages of my invention are thought to be obvious. lWith the useof a control mechanism such as l have just described, it is impossibleto shift gears without irst having released the clutch vand thus thedarger of stripping gears and the wear upon the gears is greatlyreduced. rThe arangement insures the proper synchronisln of clutch andgear shift lever actuation. Tt docs away with the use of a foot pedaland makes it possible to actuate the brake pedal with the left footleaving the right foot fiee at all times for manipulation of the footthrottle. This is especially advantageous in startingl up hills. l

The arrangement further allows a verv simple method of simultaneouslylocking both the clutch and gear shift lever with the rddition of only akey lock to the combinaion.

It will be understood that the wire 23 ma be attached to some otherportion of they clutch release mechanism than the lever 18. forinstance, the wire might be attached directly to the ordinary clutchpedal or it might be extended within the iiy wheel housing and attachedto the clutch release yoke which is shown in the drawings. The wordsclutch release actuating member used in the claims will be thereforeunderstood to refer to any portion of the clutch release mechanism towhich the wire 26 might be attached.

In some cases it may be necessary to increase the range of movement ofthe handle beyond that necessary to operate the locking bolts for thegear shift lever, in order to cffectively actuate the clutch.

This may be done by extending the wire 26a entirely through the slidingpin as shown lill) in Fig. 8 and securing a collar 26b to the wire belowthe pin in such a position that when the handle 31 is moved upwardly theclutch Will be first partially released and then the collar 26b willengage the pin to release the locking bolts.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of theparts of my invention without departing from the real spirit and purposeof my invention, and it is my intention to cover by my claims, anymodified forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents, which maybe reasonably included within their scope.

I claim as my invention:

1. In an automobile control mechanism, a selective gear shift lever, acasing member in which said lever is socketed, a clutch releaseactuating member, a handle carried by the gear shift lever in positionto be grasped t0- gether with the lever, and a flexible element securedto the handle, extending longitudinally through the gear shift lever,and secured to said clutch release actuating member, said flexibleelement being encased by a flexible, non-compressible, tube secured atone end in the gear shift lever near its socket.

2. In an automobile control mechanism, a selective gear shift lever, acasing member in which said lever is socketed, a clutch releaseactuating member, a handle carried by the gear shift lever in positionto be grasped together with the lever, an element connecting said handlewith the clutch release actuating member, to transmit pressure exertedupon said handle to said member, locking means carried by the gear shiftlever and cooperating with the casing member, said locking means beingconnected to and actuated by said element.

3. In an automobile control mechanism, a selective gear shift lever, acasing member in which said lever is socketed, a clutch releaseactuating member, a handle carried by the gear shift lever and anelement connecting said handle with the clutch release actuating member,to transmit pressure exerted upon said handle to said member, lockingmeans carried by the gear shift lever and cooperating with the casingmember, said locking means being connected to and actuated by, saidelement, toward unlocking position when said member is actuated and anauxiliary key lock adapted to coact with said element to prevent itsbeing moved in a direction to actuate the clutch release actuatingmember. f

4L. In a vehicle control mechanism, a selective gear shift lever, aclutch release actuating member, a handle carried by the gear shiftlever, a mechanical non-resilient link connecting said handle with theclutch release actuating member to directly transmit pressure exertedupon said handle to said. member, and means for locking the gear shiftlever in any of its selected positions, said means being released fromlocking en gagement by said element.

5. In a vehicle control mechanism, a selective gear shift lever, aclutch release actuating member, a handle carried by the gear shiftlever, a mechanical non-resilient link connecting said handle with theclutch release actuating member to directly transmit pressure exertedupon said handle to said member and means for locking the gear shiftlever in any of its selected positions, said Vmeans being engaged by aportion of the connecting link after the movement of said link hascommenced to release the clutch.

6. In a vehicle control mechanism, a selective gear shift lever, aclutch release actuating member, a handle carried by the gear shiftlever in position to be grasped together with the lever and a flexibleelement secured to the handle extending longitudinally through the gearshift lever and secured to said clutch release actuating member fouytransmitting pressure exerted upon said handle to said member.

Signed at Sioux City, in Woodbury county, State of Iowa, this 17th dayof August, 1926.

`BENN D. BRODKEY.

